New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-11-10
MUSIC.
WAGNER,S "SIEGFRIED.w

conventions n
tho lyric theatre that has yet been asked OF ther
| What the ultimate response to the Invitation Nil,
bo 1t wsud be foolshy prssumptuous TO attempt n
predict but tho favor with which Tristan und Isodss
was received last believe to been sncsra
and We are all inclined to doubt that tho sauc
promptngs will place the public In attitude toward
| tho drama which will make its appreciation oasy
| AID its acceptance genuine and hearty.
Yet the difference between the ordinary opera ana
Tristan und Isolde" is not SO great bsyeen am
"sIegrisd" Notwithstanding that In tho tragsds
! Wagner took as uucomprsmisiDg stand as ere
| did q Greek poet and hewed to the lne, q
his thssretical scheme with unswerving fidelity
In tho subject matter lies tho distinction
In spite Of the absence Of that ethical element which
places "Tannhauser" immeasurably absve Tristan -
dramatic poem. tho latter drama contains erprsS
sion Of the universal passion which is vshsmea q
truthful and sublime that 1t seems strange ans.
body susceptible to music and gifted with emotion
should be deaf to It's beauties er caous TO its appesA
Besides this the sympahies are stirred In bshaf OF ia
psrsorages who after all stand as represeAtatyesa
human nature and though the co operation OF the chor
is restricted single act tho dramatic necessity OF the
restriction obvious that audience engrosssl
IN the work could do naugh else than to resent such
violation of propriey as the introduction Of chorusi
any tho first scene would be- In "sssfried" how.
ever tho IA not plain Here there Is not only 10
chorus but scarcely dozen bars In which even two sole
voices are u.ited. The personages Of the PLAY
have no claim upon human sympathy and nsk
actions can arouse lofter feeling than curiosity
Through two acts aud portion OF the third tle music
womaas voice and the ehorm OF womans presence ars
absent from the stage. and Instead We arc asked
cept a bear dragon and bird. subimely solemn
peripatctic god and dwarfs repulsys in mind ana
hldeous OF body The exchange seems anything but
fair These the drawbacks concerning which there
he controversy; their enumeration involves
questions OF fact (which no ono would pun and nd
questions of taste To then. as falling perhaps under
tho latter category be added the difficulties which
result from Effort to employ In q serious draaa
mechanical devices OF kind that custom associates ohg
with children's pantommes anu idle spcctacss Al s1
ia brought In " frishteR n dwarf; dragon sagx
vomts from his cavernons laws, Gghts aai
des with kindly and prophetic warning TO his slaysS
and bird becomes endowed with the gla
OF artcuate speech through miraculous process which
takes place in another OF tho personagcs OF the plan
Finally. an American opera audience was last nigN
compelled to sit during the representation In darknes
so dense that neither shapely shoulders. gow
nor dazzling diamonds could delight the ere.
We have thus suggested az tho outset most OF the
grounds which criticisms OF "-iegrled" Llght %
based the conventional well as universal poias
OF view close ones mind the force OF the oljeo
which 10 urged against the work Is species
folly which, fortunately for the cause Of art ia praced
by few OF those ait In the seats OF ug nen:n
this country But the purpose Of the proceeding w1
not lay foundation for disparago but raheri5
order that the resolution OF the discori might heighea
appreciation or tho beauty OF tho poet
composers creation. For "sics 'ricd." la SPA
Of defects IS d strangely beautiful a1d Impressive
work. which last night, unler trying ctrcu Instances
challenged tile plauds OF audience that, 1t may 10
imagined. found all the Instructions OF c"nyeuica
which have mentione lying Lctweenits appreciation
and Wsgncr's work. 1t ought to become popuiss AID
take the place In the which has just opaed that
"Tr tan uni Isolde took In tho last. as muc for hs
sake OF composition in token OF rccog uon o. the
splendI Interpretation which it receive, at the hlni,@
tho Metropolitan company. raidiy neel caus- M one
70 be chary OF praise. Few OF those VINO familiar
with European performances OF The Ring OF the Nib
lung" since It was Withdrawn from the Biyreuth fcs
tival, are koly institute comparson injurious tho
Metropolitan representation. The teirslOzy IL the
lofIsst achievement each year OF the Court Opera
Dresden. which is ambitious to become sort OF minor
Waguerian Mecca Now the scenic eutat OF "slegrcd"
at Metropolitan Opera House is In particulars
ncrthan at capital! while singers are equally
good TO say the least 1t il only In stage managemen
that the Dresden representations sdro3ss tho perform
ance 81 last night the striking discrepancy being
In treatment OF light cfects-a mechanical deaiia
which American theatres are many years behnl the
theatres OF Continental Europe.
1t the story OF the mythical German hero. sieJfrpt
which aroused IN Wagner the Impulse that produced
8" the Ring OF the Nibung" Tho story was familiar
one to German dramatic literature and Wagues irss
1t his stuiy OF the union Ost"eeh tho
Esdcy al German epiO AMI tho tales OF Horsa ythoOJ
doubtless that persus led hm . Sttsupt The tack OF
bicni9g their loading features into into one continuous
work after the OF the Greek tragic p,et. Tne In
Ct Tents ia sissfrlei" nearly ali foAas In thu 40
Eddas and tho prose parIphrase ~ tao Eldr
Eida, known the Nolsdnga Saga WAgasr
draws his peop!s and hts magic apparatus rom
this though he uses poets license
IN handling them In the scandinavian story sisurd IL
brought up the Franklsh Court Of King hJiprek ~
Rssln dwarf. son OF Hreidiaar. wko hai exacted
ransom from Odn Loki and Hcsair for the killing OF As
sou Otter. The included ring, when AndNarI
whom Loki obtained the gold. cursed whoa he was
robbed OF IT, Odn Obliged To surrender toe ring 70
friedman on the first fell His sous FaHlr
and Regin demanded or him share Of the treasure ami
were refused Thersupon Faner KILLED hre lmar IN his
sleep the gold Ksgia then asked for his half OF
the Inheritance but Fafnir frightened hun away WIN
threats OF death and transforming himself into dragon
stood guard his treasure Resn came u the Cous
o Kiag Islprek while searching for hero able TO Iii
F.fnir and choice fell young Sigurd. 70 whom 10
told story of tho dragons hoard. After providing
him with horse and welding together FOR hin tho
broken pieces OF the sword Gram. which bad been give"
to sisurds father by odin. Regn sent the YOUNG
hero out his first sivsrtures sigurt iodhs
the dragon and slew aim by thrustug the sworA Ia"
him from a pit which he hat dag under the nonstet
While dying Fsfur wsrue! Sgurl against Regla andh
formed him Of the resting the ring kcgn eans
the after tho dssth OF Fafur aud set ssuru
roasting the DRAGONS heart for him. sgard blrnef MS
finger the crepitatipg heart and thrust II INTO h'
mouth alleviate the pain Directly that the juice IRON
the heart touched sigurds lips he undcrs ood the voice
OF tho aud rsm the sossipy cries o. some eagles no
learned OF Regins wicked purposes The eagles told MN
kill aegi and no did Then he drank OF the blooa
OF the strange brothers sad Listened again TO tho eagles
This time they told him OF saiilen whom Oiin hal
stunx with ssep.thorn and who sumoered In hall 90
high Ixdar1all surrounded with fire. Thithcr ssiri
went, penetrated tss barrier OF fire. found BrynLd.
whom he thought to DO Knight, until be had
ripped up her coat OF mail with his
sword, and awakened her. Learning tho nams
Of her deliveror Brynhd cried out Hall to thee av'
and hail to you. 20 OF day. Hail to thee Hisa'
and hail TO thee daugster Of nisat Look u2on rs "'
friendly ewes and give us victory Hail To you. 20 so